How To Keep Your Eyes Healthy

It is generally accepted in our culture that vision will progressively worsen with aging.  You have likely had the thought planted in your mind that reading glasses and other visual aids will become more and more necessary as each new birthday comes along.

However, is it really true that this ongoing vision loss is inevitable or is there something that you can do to help preserve your vision?

First, you should know that one of the more common causes of vision loss is glaucoma associated with increased pressure on the inside of the eye.  By measuring your intraocular pressure, a trained eye specialist can detect this problem early and prescribe appropriate medication to reduce the risk of vision loss due to the effect of high pressure on your optic nerves. So, it is a definite must for you to have your eye pressure checked on a regular basis to screen for this condition since your vision can deteriorate without your knowledge since there might not be any pain, discomfort or symptoms.

Make sure you eat healthy — Next, you have certainly heard many messages about the importance of a healthy diet. Well, you may or may not be aware that healthy eating has an impact on your vision as well.

There are certain foods that you should be eating in order to make sure that your eyes stay healthy for life. It is important to have foods that are rich in vitamins C, A and E, as well as folic acid, zinc and selenium, which are all nutrients that are beneficial for the eyes. Vitamins that are also antioxidants are important for eye health, and some of these nutrients can even prevent or slow down the process of macular degeneration, a common condition that occurs as we age.

Macular degeneration is associated with you noticing changes in your central vision and the ability to see colors and fine details becoming impaired.  Smoking, obesity, elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, as well as a diet low in fruits and vegetables are thought to be associated with a higher risk of this condition.  Vitamin regimens containing Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Zinc, and Copper are thought to be of benefit.  As you can see, many of the conditions listed above are directly affected by the eating habits that you follow.

There are other steps you can take to keep your eyes healthy for life. These include:

Make sure you use good lighting – When you are reading, watching television, or using a computer, it is important that you have a good light to do these things by. At the same time, light that is too bright can lead to eye strain just as much as low light can. It is good to find a happy medium. For reading, it is best that lighting be above and behind you so you can see the book well. For television or computer use, you should try to limit the brightness on the screens to avoid hurting your eyes.

Always wear sunglasses – If you are going to be outdoors during the daytime, it is important that you have a good pair of sunglasses, preferably a pair that has polarizing lenses with UV coating. UV rays can really do a number on our eyes, and wearing UV coated sunglasses can prevent these rays from doing nearly as much damage as they would to bare eyes. Wear them on cloudy days too…even if the sun is not out, just being out in the daylight can hurt your eyes, because those UV rays are still present. You can think of the UV coated sunglasses serving the same protective function that sunscreen does for your skin. The regular use of UV protected sunglasses will help make cataracts and the vision impairment they cause much less likely. It is also important to rest your eyes every so often during the day, and if you wear contact lenses, make sure that you are properly taking care of them.

So, as part of your quest for lifelong health, get regular eye exams and do not take it for granted that your eyes will just get worse and worse as time goes by.  The same attention to eating healthy and exercising regularly to help keep your weight in a desirable range can, plus some basic lifestyle changes can help you to defy the odds and keep your eyes healthy as well.